The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1887-09-30
FROM SPRINGVILLE.
Newsy Notes of Our Thriving
Southern NeighbOr.
IN THE MATTER OF SCHOOLS
Roviance g. CrandaII-J M. Bisssll-
The Boyer HOuse-Mr. Deal, OF
the 6b-Op.-General.


of new building and school which has
recently been erected in Springville by
eastern people. The Lstter-day Saints
have also taken steps to establish de-
nomina tionai or church school, and ex-
pect to have 1t running within about
one month. Speaking of schools, re-
minds me of the fact that the people OF
Springville, as well as the people in q
great majority of the districts through
out the Territory, have-evidently with
view to getting the benefits OF location
built several small schools in one dis
trict: in Springville they have six. So
far as distance is concerned, this is GER
tainly an economy; but it may gravely
be questioned whether this is the best
method to pursue. In matters of this
kind, school officers should reflect that
it is not the amount of time which q
child spends in school, but how that
time is spent that should be considered.
One term. or even one hour, in a good
school is infinitely better than several
terms or hours in q poor school. In
fact a poor school is worse than no
school at all. For in such child not
only contracts distaste for the school
room, but his time is absolutely and
criminally wasted. Think of it! vast
ing the time and chances of human
being and of childhood. The majority
of our teachers are doing nobly now
and the atmosphere of the school room
is vastly different from what it vas two
or three decades ago; but there has
been too much. and if great care is not
taken, there still will be infinitely too
much time wasted in our public schools.
But to revert to the idea of
building several small houses in dis
trict. | believe the idea has became
quite potent with progressive educators
that it is much better, especially in our
larger towns, for the citizens to concen-
trate their means (taxes)and erect good
central building with view to having
the schools graded. By this means the
chances for hap-hazard work is pre-
vented, or at least greatly lessened, and
if a good principal is employed and the
work is properly assigned and planned
throughout the school the whole work
becomes professional; the teachers be-
come as they should be, a district
school faculty. They meet together
weekly for consultation. The princi-
pal pIesides. Questions are asked the
several teachers of the district. How is
your department going along2 Do you
have any trouble in disciplineP
How do you teach penmanship? Is
that the best method2 How are the
general studies in your department
going along? Are the backward pupils
bee ming Interested etc.. etc. On the
other hand, the department teachers
should PROFOUND questions to the prin-
cipal, and thus the meetings would be-
come mutually beneficial, and the pub
lie would reap good results. Such
meetings, of course, could be held
where the schoolhouses are scattered;
but if a graded system is to be adopted,
trustees will readily see that the cen
tralization has many advantages.
In making these comments, l AN
fully conscious, from my observation
and experience in educational matters,
that there is no royal road TO learning"
and that he who learns must do so
by his own efforts; but still [
do think that there are some methods
that are as far above others as are the
heavens above the earth, and that it is
the part of wisdom for our community
to accept the best and thus polish their
talents as God designated they should.
OF the schools in central and southern
Utah, which have made very full
application of the new education" 1
take pleasure in naming the Spanish
Fork, Provo, Beaver. Rich6eld, Payson
and Pleasant Grove districts. Other
districts have begun, but as yet have
not worked matters up to thorough
system.
- POINTS.